May 1643: An Ordinance with the Names of the Knights and Gentlemen entrusted in every County to bring up a speedy Account of the Weekly Assessement, and to return the names of all such Persons as refuse to pay.

May 1643

[3 May, 1643.]

Appointment of Persons to put Ord. for Weekly Assessement in execution.

The Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled, finding that the Moneys rated upon the Counties by the Ordinance for the weekly Assessement are not returned up with such expedition as the emergent and present necessities doe require: Have thought fit, and doe Order and Ordain that two or more Persons of trust shall bee, and are hereby appointed for each County to take especiall care herein, and to put in execution with all industry and fidelity within their respective Counties: for which they are appointed these instructions hereunto annexed: And shall have such allowance towards their Charges and Expences in this Service, as upon their respective Accounts shall bee thought fit by the Lords and Commons, viz. For the County of Middlesex Sir John Francklyn Knight, and Sir Edward Barkham Knight and Baronet: for the County of Kent Sir Henry Hayman Knight and Baronet, and Thomas Blunt Esquire: for the City and County of Canterbury Sir Edward Masters, and Sir William Man, Knights: for the County of Essex Sir Richard Everard Baronet, and Sir Thomas Honywood Knight: for the County of Surrey Sir John Dingley Knight, and John Goodwin Esquire; for the Borough of Southwark, with the Parishes of Rotherhith, Newington-Buts and Lambeth, John White Esquire, and Cornelius Cooke: for the County of Sussex Herbert Morley and John Baker, Esquires; for the County of Hertford Sir Thomas Dacres Knight, and John Heydon Esquire: for the County of Cambridge Thomas Symons Esquire, and Thomas Thompson Gent. for the Isle of Ely Sir Miles Sands Knight, and William Fisher Esquire: for the County of Suffolk Sir William Spring, Baronet, and William Heveningham Esquire: for the County of Norfolk, and the City and County of Norwich Sir John Hubbert Baronet, Samuel Smith and Thomas Toll, Esquires: for the County of Huntington Onslow Winch and Tirrill Jocelyn, Esquires: for the County of Buckingham, Henry Bulstrode and Thomas Tirrill Esquires: for the county of Bedford Sir John Burgon Baronet, and Samuel Brown, Esquire: for the county of Southampton Richard Whitehead, and Richard Norton, Esquires: for the Isle of Wight Sir Henry Worsely Baronet, and John Buckley Esquire: for the county of Northampton Sir Richard Samuel Knight, and John Crew Esquire: for the county of Berks Sir Francis Knoles the younger, and Tanfield Vachell Esquire: for the county of Wilts Sir Edw. Hungerford Knight, and Edward Goddard of Upham Esquire: for the county of Somerset Sir John Horner Knight, and Alexander Popham, Esquire: for the county of Dorset Sir Walter Erle Knight, and John Fitz-James of Lewsam Esquire: for the county of Warwick Godfrey and the county of the city of Glocester Sir Robert Cooke Knight, Edward Stephens, and Thomas Purry, Esquires: for the city of Westminster Sir Robert Pye Knight, and John Glynne Esquire.

Instructions.

Instructions for the Gentlemen that are appointed by the Ordinance hereunto annexed, to take care within their respective Counties, of the speedy payment of the weekly Assessement, and other payments for the Army.

I. You shall forthwith call all the Collectors within the severall Divisions before you, and strictly examine what Monies have beene already collected by vertue of the Ordinance for the weekly Assessment, and cause all such Moniese to be with all possible speed safely sent up to the Treasurer of the Army, according to the said Ordinance.

II. Such Moneys as are due, or shall grow due, and not yet collected. you shall cause to bee speedily levyed, and sent up. as aforesaid.

III. Where you shall finde the said Ordinance hath not been put in execution, you shall informe your selves who bee the Committees of that Division, and through whose default such neglect hath hapned, and certifie their names to the Lords and Commons in Parliament.

IV. You shall cause such Committees as are next to the place where such negligence or defect shall be found, forthwith to put the said Ordinance in execution, and to make their Assessements for the whole three moneths mentioned in the said Ordinance, and to appoint Collectors with all speed to collect the same according to the said Ordinance.

V. You shall enquire whether the Assessors thorowout the said County have made their Assessements according to the said Ordinance; and such as you shall finde to have been negligent, or otherwise faulty therein, you shall cause them to be fined by the Committees, according to the power given by the said Ordinance; and their Fines to bee collected and returned, together with the rest of the Money assessed.

VI. You shall likewise cause all Collectors, who have neglected their duties in collecting the said Assessements, to be fined according to the said Ordinance, and their Fines to bee leavyed and returned accordingly.

VII. You shall take care that a true and exact List be forthwith made in Parchment faire written, of the names & sirnames, and places of abode of all such persons within the County, as are assessed by vertue of the said Ordinance, and refuse to pay the Moneys so assessed upon them, and whose Moneys you cannot leavie by distresse, and to returne a true Copy of the said List under the hands of the said Committees, or under the hands of two of them at the least, that such further course be taken with such persons listed as shall be thought fit.

VIII. You shall take speciall care that all Moneys here after to be leavied by any other Ordinance of Parliament for the maintaining of the said Army, be duly and speedily leavied accordingly.

IX. You shall once every week, and oftner if it may be, give an account in writing of your proceedings herein, and of all other things you shall conceive advantageous for this service, to the Speaker of the House of Commons.